Soulcalibur Review

Considered one of the all-time great fighting games on consoles and in arcades, Soulcalibur makes a surprisingly stellar translation to a touchscreen interface, with virtual buttons that deftly issue sweeping sword strikes and kicks, and a stick that lets you move your fighter ably around the stage.

Soulcalibur still leads the weapons-based fighting genre today (with this week's release of Soulcalibur V on consoles), and this late-90s flashback serves up all of the original fighters -- including the staff-slinging Kilik, as well as sword-wielding samurai, Mitsurugi. While the combat isn't quite as robust as in later entries, this is still a satisfying affair that works well on both iPhone and iPad. Plus, this decade-old classic looks better than ever thanks to the high-resolution bump, though the rough textures of a bygone era aren't entirely absent.

Soulcalibur remains a fast, fluid, and thoroughly exciting fighter after all this time, though this universal iOS port feels frustratingly incomplete. Omitting the beloved single-player mission mode is a drag, sure, but leaving out multiplayer – both local and online – is a truly baffling move for a competitive fighter. Additional modes are expected via updates, but at the full price of $15, or even the current launch price of $12, we shouldn't be left wanting such an essential feature.The bottom line. Soulcalibur is a great fighter, but it's currently a questionable value – at least until multiplayer is added.